Indian Group Eyeing Stake in Super Aguri? Karthikeyan to Jump In?

[Blazing Lion]

India's Spice Group are in talks with cash-strapped Super Aguri about taking a possible stake in the Formula One team, Indian driver Narain Karthikeyan's manager confirmed on Wednesday. "We know they are talking to two teams at the moment, one of them I know is Super Aguri," Mark Perkins told Reuters.

"What Spice do we can't really comment on.

"If either of the negotiations is successful and they want Narain to race for them this year, he will be delighted to take that opportunity. It should be fantastic for India and fantastic for Narain."

Karthikeyan, who in 2005 became India's first Formula One driver with the Jordan team, races for his country in the A1 Grand Prix series and last December took their first race win.

Andaleeb Sehgal, CEO of A1GP Team India, heads the diversified Spice group.

Force India, the former Spyker team taken over by Indian billionaire Vijay Mallya, denied any talks with Spice and a source said the other team mentioned was believed to be Toro Rosso.

Karthikeyan tested for Williams last year but his contract was not renewed. However the 30-year-old said last month that he still had unfinished business.
Super Aguri were founded by former racer Aguri Suzuki at the end of 2005 with Honda engines and backing to secure a drive for Japan's Takuma Sato.
Although Sato, who is central to the team's continued support from Honda, and Briton Anthony Davidson have been named in a list published by the governing FIA, the lineup remains unconfirmed.

Aguri managing director Daniele Audetto told Reuters recently that they were looking for someone to invest in the team rather than take control of it and that Honda would have to approve the deal.

He backed Sato and Davidson to stay on, but did not rule out a change if a wealthy partner came on board.

Honda F1 chief executive Nick Fry told Reuters on Tuesday that he doubted Karthikeyan would be acceptable to the carmaker, who expected consistent engineering feedback.

[Harakimi]

I think that Narain is not skilled enough to compete at F1 level. Davidson is not a star driver either but still he has given better performances than Karthikeyan so that is why my vote is no. :thumbsdown:

[emmabro]

Narain is "pants" compared to Davidson:p
i think give Davidson a good car and he could become a great driver :D

[Driverdb]

Since neither of them will be fighting for any wins I'd rather have Narain in the car. Not because he is better but because he is more fun to watch. He was sliding around that Jordan car in '05 like he was chased by the cops.

A spectacular backmarker makes for better TV than a slightly faster but not-so-spectacular one. :D

[EIR Loe.307]

Since neither of them will be fighting for any wins I'd rather have Narain in the car. Not because he is better but because he is more fun to watch. He was sliding around that Jordan car in '05 like he was chased by the cops.

A spectacular backmarker makes for better TV than a slightly faster but not-so-spectacular one. :D

Ya, but what if he gets in the way as Kimi and Hamilton are fighting a crucial battle for points. I'd rather have a skilled driver in that can get out of the way and then block Hamilton.....hehehehe

[Driverdb]

Ya, but what if he gets in the way as Kimi and Hamilton are fighting a crucial battle for points. I'd rather have a skilled driver in that can get out of the way and then block Hamilton.....hehehehe

Well, he didn't cause any problems that I remember in 2005 and now he's older and wiser. :)

[JoStream]

A spectacular backmarker makes for better TV than a slightly faster but not-so-spectacular one. :D

Haha :lol:, just imagine team principles setting new criteria.

"Anthony, you're very quick and we want that. But you're driving just doesn't have that 'cool' or 'wow' factor. In order for us to survive beyond any sponsor money you may bring in, you need to captivate the audience by being fastest and crashing around at the same time" :lol: :lol:

[EIR Loe.307]

Well, he didn't cause any problems that I remember in 2005 and now he's older and wiser. :)
That doesn't mean he's better. Besides, this day in age in F1 a younger driver with equal talent really deserves a chance to make a career. Even if he is better he only has a few 2-3 years left in him in this career.

[Driverdb]

That doesn't mean he's better. Besides, this day in age in F1 a younger driver with equal talent really deserves a chance to make a career. Even if he is better he only has a few 2-3 years left in him in this career.

But better wasn't the foundation of my criteria. ;)

My bottom line was this... you can:

1. Have Anthony Davidson running solidly in 14th place. You'll only see him on TV when he's getting lapped.

2. Have Narain Karthikeyan running solidly in 16th place. When there's no action going on at the track you can always get some TV footage slo-mo's of Narain going through corners with opposite lock.

[EIR Loe.307]

Very true. That TV coverage is also critical to sponsor $$ so you may be right. Hehehe

[DarkLord]

Kartikeyan wasted his opportunity when he was in Jordan. I dont know if he has improved during this 2-3 year or not. He won a race in A1GP but IMO it is quite different then F1..

Being an indian i want an indian driver in F1 but not him. may be karun chandhok in a year or two can learn from GP2 and then he can race for either FI/SA...

[Driverdb]

Kartikeyan wasted his opportunity when he was in Jordan.

Was driving a Jordan in 2005 really an opportunity? It was more like a punishment of some kind. :D

[DarkLord]

Was driving a Jordan in 2005 really an opportunity? It was more like a punishment of some kind. :D

well atleast he could have tried to do good job other than sliding and banging into gravel...:lol:

[Radar]

I voted "can't say". India will want a Indian driver racing for them and at the moment he would be one of the best in that country. I have watched him in A1GP and his driving skills aren't that great even though he has won a race in that series. He will bring in sponsorship dollars though.

Davidson is a driver that I know very little about :o and that isn't good in the marketing sense.

[JoStream]

Davidson is a driver that I know very little about :o and that isn't good in the marketing sense.

That's strange :wonder:, F1Racing Magazine had quite a few intensive interviews with him, hailing him as the next that and the next this. It has died down as of late, probably as a result of Hamilton's rise to stardom. The Brits are no longer looking for the next Damon Hill or Nigel Mansell. You can even see the reduced attention Jenson Button has gotten...

[StumpyManager]

anthony davidson is a very good driver the thing is that his car isnt as well, hmhm whats the word...good as he needs it to be. weve seen karthikeyan race and he is nowhere near as good as davidson (i remember him being at least 2 seconds slower than the first relegation cutoff when they first instated the rule. davidson has at least moved into the second heat 3-4 times last season. no contest